Practice Standards
Practice Standards
The AASW Practice Standards 2023 was published in May 2023 following a thorough consultation, to reflect current practice. Read it to see how much has changed since 2013.
The updated Practice Standards separate and articulate the profession’s commitments to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, human rights and social justice and encapsulate culture, identity and intersectionality in practice.
The AASW self-regulates the profession. As such, the Practice Standards are part of the suite of documents that regulate the profession, which includes the Code of Ethics 2020 and the Australian Social Work Education and Accreditation Standards (ASWEAS)
The Practice Standards directly aligns with the Code of Ethics 2020. Its purpose isto promote trust and confidence in the profession for the public and serviceusers.
The Practice Standards crystalise the core elements of practice for social workers and for those who use their services, including policy-makers, employers, and other professionals working in related sectors.
Practice Standards webinar recording
On Thursday 8 June 2023, we held a webinar hosted by Dr Fotina Hardy and joined by panelists Dr Anne-Louise McCawley and Dr Bernadette Moorhead to launch the Practice Standards and to explain how they apply to all social workers.
If you are a member and would like to view the recording, you need to log into MyAASW. Viewing the recording counts towards Category 3 of CPD.
membersIf you are not a member and you would like to view the recording, you need to complete your details and you will be emailed a link.
Frequently Asked Questions
What about supervision requirements and the Supervision Standards?
The Supervision Standards are now redundant and have been retired from 22 June 2023.
What about Mental Health Standards?
We made a decision when we revised the new Practice Standards that they would relate to all areas of practice as an overarching set of Practice Standards. With the development of the AASW Credentials there is no longer a need for separate standards for supervision and mental health. The Supervision Standards have now been retired and eventually the Mental Health Standards will be phased out reverting to a Guideline.
We will focus on developing the Supervision Guideline and will review the Mental Health Credential in the first half of 2024, retire the Mental Health Standards and at the same time develop a Mental Health Guideline.